Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - Dark Matter

I started reading this book before the show was announced, it was recommended by my friend's father who is a author, tho the beginning is kinda meh it really picks up in the third act.

Content Warnings

_david_'s review against another edition

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dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Oof to me, every part of this book missed its mark. In general I found everything in the book a bit over the top.

First of all, Jason is supposed to be a genius. Yet it takes him ages to even think of the theory which can be figured out as a reader very quickly. If you've figured it out before Jason, there's not much joy in reading the story until he has figured it out too. You're just waiting and turning the pages until he does and you can finally continue. The way he acts is so hard to relate to. It's very hard to imagine the situations he encounters so it's hard to emphasize with his choices. However, at least after it all goes wrong once you'd think he change his behaviour right?

Secondly, I'd like to discuss the science behind it. To me, it's very noticable that what we're reading has been written by an author who wanted to tell a story and then looked up the physic theories which would fit it best. The logic is not consistent and some of it almost works like magic. Yet the characters in the book use big words and existing theories to clarify the science behind it all. This is a very personal ick, I've barely ever encountered a piece of media that manages to do this well. The only ways I have seen this be pulled off, is to make up your own very clear very consitent rules or just pretend it's magic and do not explain it beyond what is necessary.

My favourite part of the book beyond the very first chapter, in which Jason only talks about his family night and life choices, are the final few chapters. Yet I wish they pushed a little further. Let Jason be a little more selfish or a little more existential. I've read another review which points out a major flaw related to the inconsistent physics which did ruin these last chapters for me as well.

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meat_muffin's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.5

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wickedgrumpy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

The good: I enjoyed the UberChat. I felt that right when that was introduced a different ending could have spawned that turned into a lighthearted rom-com and I like to imagine that.

The bad: I knew pretty early on that this was not going to be a favorite. I don't read a lot of thrillers in general but I enjoy sci-fi so I figured I would give it a shot. I couldn't stand the main character. And thus, the book was doomed in my eyes. The pacing was jumpy, and the plot was predictable (as in, I guessed what really happened in the first chapter and the main character didn't figure it out until the ~50% mark). There was some promise for some thoughtful introspection but the approach was heavy-handed at best. Some of the descriptions were vivid and others were flat out whacky.

I don't know if I will try another book by the author, but I don't think I was the intended audience for this work so who knows what the future holds.

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faeriefox's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was incredible.

The worldbuilding between all of the worlds Jason went into was incredible; you really got the essence of each world from the start.

I also really loved *our* Jason. He never lost his moral compass, unlike so many other versions of him, and as a result, Daniela chose him over the others. It was so touching, too, when so many Jasons let the family go free once they knew what Daniela wanted, culminating this beautiful love story.

I really got emotionally attached to the characters as well; I was devastated when Amanda left and constantly afraid for Charlie, Daniela, and Jason.

This book made me think a lot; it challenges so many ideas about life, love, identity, and choice.

I also appreciated the fairly easy-to-understand scientific explanations; the fact that they were understandable added so much to the book, as well as just being very interesting.

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megan_wy's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Wow wow wow!!!! Just finished this book and I flew through it. That’s saying a lot too because I’m a very slow reader. I was really wanting to try a different genre of book after reading a few too many cheesy romance novels. This book easily hooked me and has me wanting to read more thriller / sci-fi novels. The story of Jason and the endless underlying meanings and interpretations of this book will keep you up at night questioning life. I had to stop and think a few times throughout the book to try and make logical sense out of some of the things that were happening. That’s part of the beauty of this novel I think, you really don’t know if the end is real Jason? Considering there’s a new version of Jason for every single choice he makes even AFTER the initial switch in the beginning, who’s to prove that the Jason in the end is the “real” Jason 🤯🤯🤯

This story is just so different. It’s so intensely unique that it opened up so many new frames of mind for me in an amazing and analytical way. Although some parts are deeply confusing if you try to think to understand all the science and logistics behind it, the overall meaning and plot can still be easily followed. Each version of Jason wanted one thing, a happy life with someone he loved. That someone, even in the version where he left her for his career, was Daniela. He essentially had the “perfect” life in Jason2’s world, but we know that isn’t true. Jason2 was unhappy dreaming about a perfect life with Daniela and a family. I am so speechless over this book. I would highly recommend it!! Just be prepared to do lots of deep thinking and questioning of our reality that is “life.”

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katiefurms's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Not only is this an incredible concept for a story, but it is so phenomenally well written that i could not put it down. Absolutely incredible book.

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ellie_the_banshee's review against another edition

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adventurous tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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